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MEDIA ADVISORY: UNESCO and partners to commemorate International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 2017

Daytime forum spotlighting personal stories and latest research on challenges facing LGBTI and their families in Thailand to be followed by star-studded evening commemoration at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC)

BANGKOK, 8 May 2017 –

WHAT: Thailand’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community face challenges ranging from bullying in schools in their earliest years to economic exclusion and barriers to health services in later years. Supportive families can be a much-needed pillar of support for LGBTI community members in facing and overcoming these obstacles.

UNESCO, the Ministry of Justice, National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, World Bank Group and more than 30 community and development partners are celebrating this crucial role with a special day-long commemorative event for this year’s International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), 17 May at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

WHEN: 17 May, 2017

The 2017 “We are a #RainbowFamily” commemoration will be a day-long event featuring:

IDAHOT Learning Forum: (1.30pm-4.15pm ground floor, BACC)

This forum will be divided into panel sessions on “rights and protections for LGBTI” as well as snapshots of recent research on LGBTI, and a family forum, which will feature a unique roundtable discussion on LGBTI family life in Thailand, involving the mother of a transgender youth, the daughter of a lesbian and a transgender mother.

A photo exhibition on LGBTI family and community life, community performances, special guest speakers Ms. Pitikan Sithidej, Director General of Rights and Liberties Protection Department at the Ministry of Justice and H.E. Ms. Donica Pottle, Ambassador of Canada, as well as a chat show-style dialogue led by Channel 3 presenter Meesuk (Kai) Changmeesuk and featuring three celebrities will be among the highlights of the evening programme. LGBTI youth and their families will also share their experiences and a light and rainbow flag commemoration will be held to reflect the “brighter tomorrows” that all those participating in the IDAHOT 2017 activities are working to achieve for Thailand’s LGBTI community.

WHO: UNESCO, the Ministry of Justice, World Bank Group, UNESCO and more than 30 development and Thai civil society organizations and private sector representatives are participating in IDAHOT Day at the BACC.

About IDAHOT: The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is commemorated every year on May 17 in more than 100 countries in every region of the world to champion LGBTI rights and combat discrimination. The day was created in 2007 and May 17th was chosen because it was on this day in 1990 that the World Health Organization first decided to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.